Help Needed Please!

[Gilli]

All has been well in my tank but a few days ago I noticed my BN Plec showing a small patch of lighter colour on her back. I just put it down to her growing so rapidly and never having kept one before thought it was just a slight change of colour. No flicking or rubbing and she she seems fine and eating like a horse! However having a good look at her today the patch of paler colour has got bigger and she has a small white circle on her tail!! HELP!! I love all my fish dearly and am panicking!

I rang the local vets ( I am in the UK) who deal in exotic species and fish and asked their advise to see if I could get some antibiotics but they said no! They asked my water stats which are good and I have always done a 30% water change once a week and a good hoover of the gravel. They said without me bringing her in and giving her a scrape they couldnt do much about it. I told them I have begun dosing the tank with Pimafix (I have 3 x amano shrimp) and they said to carry on and if she gets worse bring her in. To me this would only make her worse with stress!!

My questions are can I also dose with melafix at the same time and if so both at the full dose? Also should I do water changes or not until the course is finished?

I have increased the air bubbles but as it is warm here cant get the temp any lower than 76.

Ammonia 0

Nitrite 0

Nitrate 20

PH 7.6

I would be grateful for any advise.

 

[Gilli]

Bump - anyone please?

 

[minxfishy]

Melafix and Pimafix can be used together. So long as their is no copper in the meds, then they are fine to use with Shrimp.

Is the white circle fluffy in appearance? Does there look like blood under the skin at all?

 

[Gilli]

I was mistaken with the lighter circle on her tail is not an ulcer its just a lighter patch. Im now wondering if she is actually just changing colour? When I bought her a couple of months ago she was tiny and mainly brown with small paler yellowish patches, like she is on the front part of her face below. Now she is 3 times the size and its these patches that seem to be increasing (see on her head just behind her eyes) ? Do BN plecs do this - ive no idea?

Here she is

 

[raptorrex]

I was mistaken with the lighter circle on her tail is not an ulcer its just a lighter patch. Im now wondering if she is actually just changing colour? When I bought her a couple of months ago she was tiny and mainly brown with small paler yellowish patches, like she is on the front part of her face below. Now she is 3 times the size and its these patches that seem to be increasing (see on her head just behind her eyes) ? Do BN plecs do this - ive no idea?

Here she is

cant talk for BN's, mine are still too small. but some plecos do this when stressed.

 

[Gilli]

Hmmmm.......been doing lots of searching on websites for info and it seems that they can change colour to suit the colour of their environment. As my plec hardly ever hides and is always out and about when the tank light is on and my gravel is light coloured im thinking maybe she is trying to blend in?

 

[raptorrex]

Hmmmm.......been doing lots of searching on websites for info and it seems that they can change colour to suit the colour of their environment. As my plec hardly ever hides and is always out and about when the tank light is on and my gravel is light coloured im thinking maybe she is trying to blend in?

yep it seems so, however they do not change in patches, more all over.

 

[Gilli]

OK so they dont change in patches, so she might still be sick! - so any help anyone? Miss wiggle? Wilder?

 

[raptorrex]

OK so they dont change in patches, so she might still be sick! - so any help anyone? Miss wiggle? Wilder?

indeed so, your fish could be stressed, because it is poorly. though I would say the patches are an indication, as opposed to a symptom.
my common did this, when it outgrew its favourite tube. even though there was a bigger tube, vacant.

 

[Gilli]

Thank you for your help Boboboy. i think i will continue the dosing until the course is finished and keep my fingers crossed! By the way did your Bn stay that colour or change back?

 

[raptorrex]

Thank you for your help Boboboy. i think i will continue the dosing until the course is finished and keep my fingers crossed! By the way did your Bn stay that colour or change back?

it was a common pleco not a BN, but the patches came and went for a few weeks.